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Windows 10 is coming along nicely, judging by the recently leaked build of 10056. Microsoft is on a course to finalize the operating system for release by this summer, so it makes sense to see visual refinements to the operating system as new builds are officially made available or leaked.
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In Windows 10 build 10056, which leaked just a few days ago, there are new improvements to the Start menu (or mini-Start Screen for those of you who hate referring to it as a Start menu). As you can see in the image above, Microsoft has made some new refinements to the interface.
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The first thing you will notice is the new location of the familiar “Power” options. In previous builds, this button was at the top-right of the Start menu/screen. Now, based on feedback, Microsoft has relocated this commonly-used feature to the bottom-left — a familiar location for those of you have been using Windows for years.
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Another new improvement is the ability to resize the Start menu. Simply place your cursor at the edge of the menu, allowing you to make it longer or taller. Want a small Start menu or a larger Start menu? Now you can resize it to your liking. You can still click the button at the top-right of the menu to open up the Start screen, giving you more space to see your app collection — this actually looks nice on a high resolution widescreen monitor.
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Microsoft has also made it easier to group your apps on the Start menu/screen. It is easier than ever to create a group of tiles — just hover over the top row of apps and you can type a group name within the textfield. In my case, I have one simple group called “Apps” with just a few commonly-used apps within the group.
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Microsoft also also made improvements to the system tray clock. Now, when you click the time/date on the system tray, you will see a new popup showcasing the latest time, as well as a mini-calendar. If you click on the “additional clocks” link, the “Alarms & Clock” app will launch, giving you a view of the World Clock, as well as options to set an alarm, timer, or stopwatch.
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Windows 10 is shaping up to be a nice and polished operating system. Stay tuned for more Windows 10 coverage — you can keep an eye on all things Windows 10 right here.
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